The Star Online: Nation
The Star Online: Nation |
- Integrity pact should extend to all Malaysian mega-projects, says Low
- Second Penang Bridge ramp collapses, four in car feared dead (updated)
- Review of Internet laws will not be politically-driven, says Shabery
| Integrity pact should extend to all Malaysian mega-projects, says Low Posted: 06 Jun 2013 08:31 AM PDT PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) has been urged to extend its integrity pact programme to all mega-projects launched in the country. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Paul Low said the programme had been a rousing success since it was taken up for the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) project. "In a mega-project like the MRT, which is worth RM56bil, there are so many contracts that without proper supervision, will make it easy for corruption. "Because of the initiative (integrity pact), we can safely say that we have not heard any rumours of corruption in the MRT project," he said after launching the MACC Convention 2013 here Thursday night. Under the pact - signed in 2011 - MRT project owner Syarikat Prasarana Nasional Berhad (SPNB), main contractor Gamuda-MMC and all contractors pledged not to engage in any form of corruption. The project is also being monitored by a joint task force that includes the Auditor-General's office and the MACC. Low said it is important for each and every mega-project - in the public or private sector - be monitored by similar task forces, preferably with experts on board to prevent corrupt practices. He highlighted upcoming mega-projects such as the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail project and the West Coast highway project as prime examples that should have monitoring task forces. |
| Second Penang Bridge ramp collapses, four in car feared dead (updated) Posted: 05 Jun 2013 09:58 AM PDT GEORGE TOWN: An uncompleted flyover connecting to the still-under-construction second Penang bridge at Batu Maung collapsed at around 7pm Thursday, burying at least one car and a motorcycle under the debris. Police fear that four people are dead after one car, a white-coloured Perodua Kelisa was found buried under the rubble. State Fire and Rescue Department confirmed that one motorcyclist, who was earlier trapped under the debris, has been pulled out. He suffered injuries to his head. Hundreds of firemen, volunteers and medical personnel from throughout the state have been mobilised to the scene. Firemen are removing debris to reach the cars and motorcycles under the rubble, comprising mostly metal scaffolding and steel beams. Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin, who was on the scene, said about a 30m-long span of the ramp was believed to have collapsed around 7pm, as work to install concrete boulders to strengthen the structure was ongoing. He said he was informed a few people may be trapped under the rubble. State executive councillor Lim Hock Seng said the cause of the collapse had yet to be determined. "We cannot confirm the cause of the accident," he said, adding that a full investigation would be carried out. Police have began deploying traffic policemen as the incident has caused a severe jam to ensue near the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway. Many motorists have also stopped to look at the debris. As of 9:30pm Thusrday night, fire department authorities have briefed Sim and Lim. R. Thilasheni, 24, whose car windscreen was shattered by a falling beam during the incident, was still in a state of shock. "We were lucky to come out alive. We were only about three seconds away from when the ramp collapsed," she said. She was travelling with her friend G. Gajashaantini, also 24. She believed a motorcyclist was trapped under the rubble and said a beam fell onto a car in the incident. The 24km-long bridge was set for completion next month. The longest bridge in South-East Asia and 20th in the world was supposed to go through road commissioning and testing in August before being officially opened in September. Related Stories: |
| Review of Internet laws will not be politically-driven, says Shabery Posted: 05 Jun 2013 09:44 AM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: The review of Malaysian Internet laws will be holistic and not politically-driven, said Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek. He said that restricting negative and anti-social elements such as pornography were the priority, and not to curb political dissent, he said. "A majority of Internet users like to share their ideas in so many fields like arts, food and business opportunities. "I can't be too sensitive if only a handful of people were to use the Internet for certain purposes like insulting other religions or races. If it is only this handful, then maybe the current laws suffice," he said. However, he said he would not think twice about introducing Singapore-style restrictions if there were irresponsible parties who attempted to incite racial hatred and spread lies. "But if a big majority of Internet users are responsible, then why should we waste time trying to amend the laws. We can just let it be and stick to the present legislation," he stressed to reporters Thursday. The Singaporean government recently moved to make it mandatory for news websites with more than 50,000 audiences to be licensed. He has put the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in charge of studying the current laws to see if there was a need for a review. MCMC chairman Datuk Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi said the plan to provide free Internet services for the first 30 minutes for those earning less than RM3,000 monthly was still at its pilot stage. He said the pilot programme was being implemented in Pantai Dalam here and that further details would have to be worked out with the minister. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak previously announced those who qualify for the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) automatically qualified for the programme. Back then, the former Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said the programme would go ahead by April. |
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